Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-10-23
NOW FIRST PUBLIsHED.l
THE Right of Translation Is Reserved
CHAPTER xxv.-sIR BRIsCo RETURNS TX
THE CHARGE

Books Tor Reginald, fruit and mower!
for Mel&nie-the latter forced roses, th'
result of frst-clsss Scottish gardener
skill, with tremuIous ferns, gGrdenias
sprays of crimson blossoms snd csmelial
game for Uncle Grimshaw (now tina
cub-aunting was over were sent to Rose
Cottage with persistent frequency, &C
companled by Sir Brisco's cards. Invi
tstions, too, came for Oxford fetes, loca
balls, and so forth, which Melanie reso.
lutely declined, saying that she "Woulc
not 60 into society while LonsdaIe was
away" thus adding to what Mr.. Grim
shaw deemed indications of insanity; snc
/ he ever spoke to her without covert
sheer.
ono gaiety or dissipation sre powerful
| enough TO deaden the anxiety I endure 81
! the absence of all letters, UNCLE" she
would urge.
sand you will lead this life OF seclU.
sion and eccentricity till you hear from
! Lonsdale?" asked her uncle with z vicious
glance.
eyes, or he returns"
"Then you are likely to lead it long
enough" said he,as ne thought Of his dis
pEtch-boX: and as he never omitted to
attempt TO make mischief out Of the pres
ence OF Hilda Tremayne On beard the Pa
geda, he added:
"You had no letter from the Point de
Gale. But should think he has most
likely married that girl ere now, on board
j ship, to push his way On her father e
staff. Think Of the daily and hourly op.
portunities, of the close attentions, real
and inferred, by being together, the pro-
pinquitY, and the great attractions OF the
! girl herself. Faugh! you are fool! Still,
you will not give him up?"
"No, uncle, We must wait"
"For Whst?n
"Unless it is better times, I do not
know" said the girl, huskily, as kind
Of despair crept into her heart.
| And Uncle Grimshaw viciouely rasped
| up his side tufts, as he thought Of all that
Melanie deprived him Of by her contin-
ued obstinacY, even to such petty details
as the dinners he would enjoy at Ravens
| bourne Hall, the rare entrees or the pate
| des fOis grSs, the sWeetbreads and truf-
! fes, with the Pomery greno and ~ port
| of which he would shave the run''-
! were his dear niece installed there, in
stead of her economical reCheuffes or
cheap timed Viands from the "stores''
washed down by the mildest Of MedoC.
Her selfish folly was, he thought, truly
internal.
Reginald, her brother, had written to
his Soudan comrade, Horace Musgrsve
of the Husssrs, st Dublin, inqulring about
their mutual friend Lonsdale; but, though
he had taken the precsution to have his
letter posted by Dick as Stokencross, to
the growing perpleXity OF Melanie and
himself no reply ever came thereto.
"Whst could it all mean?" thought
brother and sister, as they eyed each
other blankIy.
But time would surely unraVeI all.
When informed by Mrs. ChiIlington
thst Captain LonsdaIe had ceased to write
to Rose Cottage-so she vaguely phrased
it-Sr Brisco felt greatly elsted and en-
coursged to prosecute his suit, while, in
his own mind, he was just and generous
enough to revile bitterly the lover who
could act in manner so cruel and IN
manly.
Yet, when he looked into Melenie's
dark blue eyes, he felt sincere envy OF
Iove-ligh& that ever could illuminate
sAC1A oAO LIZ hASW bA1G WALL GtAO 4OfSA
it would be with all her heart and soul
with the passion that he could never hope
to kindle there.
Chow fond she must be of him." said
he to Mr.. GrimshaW. "And what dread
ful blow it would be to her If anything
happened to him in Burmah."
Uncle GrimshaW made grim&ce. He
cared little If the famous white elephant
Ill h. 49,, o. hSrl
With doubtful kindness, Sir Brisco
could not help saying, but uselessly:
"Has your uncle heard from CEpt8in
Lonsdale since he left US, Miss Talboti'
"Not since he entered the Suez canal"
replied Melanie, eVasively, and with diff
Guilty REFRESHING q choking sob; "neither
has Reggie, which is strange; they We're
such friends"
AID to hide her growing emotion she
seated herself at the piano in nervous
haste, and proceeded, unlimited, to play
she knew not what-While Reggie list
ened with heart that ached for her.
But MeIanie felt, at times, pure exasp-
GRAFTON.
Sir Brlsco presumed, she thought, upon
her helplessness, the favor his admiration
found with her uncle and aunt, the only
relations she had to guide her, the eb-
sence Of Lonsdale and the hopeless posi-
ton of her brother, the young sailor, Her
innate spirit and pride buoyed her up,
and would have done 80 still more but for
the mysterious and apparently unexplain-
able silence of the absent one-she dread
full sket that no replies came from him in
reply to her most urgent and piteous let
teI
And when inspired by this emotion OF
desperation, Mclanie's manner became
n6rvous, and she was inclined to resent
Esuntingly, but quietly, the attentions
5her elderly sdmirer, till even he lost
passaace, and once or twice ventured to
retorFs
Then said Melenie: "I am getting 8
little tired of inuendoes, Sir Brlsco; Whist
do they mesr?"
2 F'Fhat en- disappointed in you"
"Kn what Yay?" she asked, sharply, yet
fesSed his answer, remembering the sup
poeed esves-dropping at the trysting
blace, and the cigar seen by Lonsdale.
al thought you different from other
girls; but fear that you are somewhat OF
q coquette."
"I do not know by what right you call
me so, Sir Brlsco."
He made no response, deemiag silence
safest; while Melanie thought, whatever
he had seen or been told, it was no busi-
mess of his TO take her to task or inter
fere in her affsirs; and he was thinking,
old SIS he was, how soft was ner lowell
ness, IS she leant back in an old and
fsded chintz covered chair, her plsin
dark dress setting OF the dazzling white